Almanbet Comes to Kokcho. Part 2
Drunken Kokcho sometimes came to his senses and could barely see Almanbet before him.
– You have Akerketch on your mind, you have been watching over her for a long time. You are thinking about Akerketch, you are keeping an eye on her anyway, – mumbled Kokcho.
At this, Almanbet exploded and shouted:
– Hero Kokcho, vodka is a strong drink, drink it carefully, or it won't be hard to lose your conscience completely. Kumys is also not an ordinary drink, handle it wisely, or you might lose your place without even noticing how it happened. Would I be a man if I trampled on brotherly friendship? Would I remain decent if I coveted your wife?
In his hat made of blue lynx, Kokcho lifted his head, came to his senses, and managed to say:
– You are a hungry ragamuffin, you are a ruined garden, where did you come from, wanderer, and sow debauchery here?
Then he turned to the courtiers surrounding him and said:
– Send this Kalmak vagabond home. If he has any grievances, let him speak here in front of everyone. Tell him to get far away from Kokcho, to return to his own people, to the Kalmaks. Give him what he wants, and send him on his way, give him everything he wishes for, and send this slave to his lands.
Everyone sitting in the house silently lowered their heads and remained quiet. Then Almanbet spoke:
– Yes, I have enemies, yes, I have people to fight, yes, I have a homeland, I also have friends and brothers. Well then, hero Kokcho, I have a tongue that knows how to speak. I ask you for the horse Kogal, if you are so generous. I also ask for your armor, if you are so kind. Indeed, I will go to my enemies, not fearing them and not hiding from fear. I will go to my bloodthirsty relatives and measure my strength against them. Let your armor and chainmail be my protection; I will return them to you. Let the beautiful steed Kogal be my support; I will return him as well. Do not deny my words, Kokcho, give me what I ask for, Kokcho.
Hearing these words from Almanbet, Kokcho trembled all over:
– They say that where a pear grows, there also grows a thorn. They say that a dog can only dream of scraps. Can a bear compare to a lion? Look at the shame of asking me for a horse!
When Almanbet heard these words, he was beside himself; his eyes burned, and words of reproach burst from his mouth:
– If you are a pear, Kokcho, and I am just a miserable thorn, then I am ready to argue about who is smarter or stronger. If you are a lion, Kokcho, and I am just a clumsy bear, then may I be cursed, fool, if I am even slightly worse than you. You are a man among your people, a hero in your village; when you leave the village, you are like a pregnant woman. Hold your word tighter, always fulfill your oath, give me your hand, Kokcho.
When Kokcho extended his hand, Almanbet shook him so hard that his hat of blue lynx flew off his head and fell by the hearth.
– Hero Kokcho, you did not appreciate my service, so my efforts were in vain. You succumbed to these envious ones, reproached me with a piece of bread, and drove me away to the Kalmaks like a mangy sheep. I am not myself if I do not ride Kogal, which you refused to give, if I do not put on your armor Kokkub, which you deemed unworthy for me.
Offended, Kokcho shouted angrily at those sitting:
– Where are you, my knights? Grab him quickly, seize this vagabond and slay him before my eyes! Do not let him escape; cut him down with your swords!
Breathing fire from his mouth, like a raging flame, scattering embers from his eyes, like a tiger with black stripes, when Almanbet drew his sword from its sheath and shouted at the top of his lungs, no one dared to approach him, and only from a distance did they try to wave their swords and throw knives in his direction. Not a single dagger could pierce the chainmail, and all of them fell in a heap near Almanbet.
"It turns out they wanted to kill me," Almanbet understood the evil intentions of the envious. "I would kill them all, led by Khan Kokcho, but after having made enemies among the Chinese and Kalmaks, as well as among the Kazakhs, where would I go and where would I be accepted? Let them be vile, and I will hold back; I will not shed the blood of a few Kazakhs." And turning his back to them, he headed outside, while the frightened Kazakhs, terrified of his anger, opened the doors wide for him.
Almanbet mounted his horse Sarala, tied to a post, and did not know where to go; he pondered and stood still. Just then, black-eyed Akerketch came out to meet him in a rustling silk dress from the white yurt.
– Turn a little, Almanbet, wait, I have a word for you, listen to me. Fathers and sons quarrel, and brothers among themselves, but where can they go? They return again. Whatever grievances there may be, they are forgotten by the next day, so if one of them dies, they always mourn and bury him. You yourself saw that Kokcho is drunk, and among him are his enemies. Poor Kokcho is so trusting and believes anyone who comes first and speaks; he is such a fool, but in his heart, he harbors no malice. Tomorrow, when he sobers up, he will bitterly regret it, he will be angry at his enemies like a small child. Do not take the words of a drunken man to heart; it is not fitting for you to leave us with resentment in your heart; forgive him this time and stay here.
Akerketch's words struck a chord with Almanbet. Disappointed in Kokcho, recalling how the knives and daggers were ready, understanding that in his place, another would have been killed long ago, Almanbet sharply replied to Akerketch:
– Dear one, do not be angry. Even if he considers me a prophet, I cannot stay with Kokcho any longer. I cannot return; otherwise, I might be killed, so do not ask me to stay.
Realizing that Almanbet would not return, Akerketch began to weep:
– You have nowhere to stay, you do not even have friends, and your people, the Chinese, will not accept you; how will you go alone, without support, without help? Where will you now go, where will you seek shelter? I will ask the arriving guests and merchants; tell me, Almanbet, where should I look for you?
– I have burned the road to my people, closed all gates to strangers, dear one. In which mountains will I hide, among which people will I find shelter, on which land will I set my roots, I do not even know. I will fly like a hawk with steel spurs, see a dense tree, sit on a branch that will not bend or break; there, I will probably remain, dear one. Whatever fate sends, I will see, and when my time comes, I will perish.
Hearing Almanbet's sorrowful words, Akerketch burst into tears, deeply saddened, and said in profound sorrow:
– If I were not a woman but a man, I would not act like Kokcho, Almanbet. Listen to my sincere words, Almanbet, I have entrusted your fate to the Lord God. Even if you have committed sins, any man could forgive you; such a man is expected by any people. Rather than driving him from the land, it would be better to give this land to him.
All sorts of filth gathered around and delivered you to be torn apart; perhaps you have not heard, but you must definitely turn to the mighty Manas. If you accomplish deeds here greater than the mountains, then even then, no one will appreciate you. If you kill a man, shed blood, then even then, no one will know about it. If you commit a villainy, then even then, no one will distinguish it from good. Perhaps Manas will accept you and appreciate you; perhaps he will not drive you away, perhaps he will not be angry for your sins. They say he is noble and does not get upset over trifles; they say he is like a river filling a lake; you must definitely visit him.
Almanbet's eyes glistened slightly.
– If I received such from Kokcho, how can I go to the leader? How can I appear before the eyes of the leader who was able to burn the land overgrown with sedge? Am I to run from one to another, from camel to elephant? I would rather stay far away from them, go to distant lands.
Dissatisfied with Almanbet's words, Akerketch cried out again:
– From white silk, I wove nets for my falcon; if you do not listen this time, then, Almanbet, do as you wish. The Kyrgyz and Kazakhs have long been brothers; the Holy Spirit himself united us. I ask you, Almanbet, stop by Manas for a while, and you will see how he will greet you. Scholars have also said that one day in the white world is better than a thousand days of paradise. If this is not God's will, Almanbet, then it is better for you to remain in this white world.
– Dear Akerketch, thank you for telling me about Manas and for worrying about me. I will not throw your words to the wind and will also visit Manas. Well, may you live long, dear one.
Saying goodbye to Akerketch, Almanbet set out on his journey. He rode on the remarkable steed Sarala, with a head like that of a dignitary, with ears straight like candles, with muscular thighs, he rode with the best gun slung over his shoulder, with a damask sword at his side, and a long spear in hand, thinking to himself that fate would spare him, that he would survive in a foreign land, he hesitated, doubted, waiting for news from Kokcho, thinking that the drunkenness was a misunderstanding, it turned out to be an excess, that he would wake up in the morning and, consumed with worries, remember his friend – call him, and Akerketch would tell what happened, what transpired, how he vented his anger on his friend, and he would send his messengers to find his friend in the end. This is what he thought, waiting, that his friend had fallen through the cracks in vain. And if suddenly Kokcho began to search, if he did not find him – he began to wait.
Two days passed. Sobering up from vodka, hero Kokcho was very hungry, and he called Buuidaibek, asking for something to eat.
– Call Almanbet, let him sit with me and eat some meat with fat, let him try sugar and honey; I know he does not drink vodka.
Not knowing how to tell that Almanbet had been expelled, frightened Buuidaibek called the judges Asmonko and Kozubai, who hesitated to enter the ruler's presence, and sent them to him. Greeting Kokcho and not yet having sat down, Asmonko began his speech:
– When you are not sober, you do not know what you are doing, and you do not listen to your obedient slaves. Almanbet said so much to you; he was not drunk, nor was he possessed by illness, but his words yesterday are very dangerous for you. He intended to marry your wife Akerketch; he wanted to take your horse Kogal; he became too proud and wanted to cut off your ears; he did not listen to us and attacked you drunkenly to kill you. But your people see everything; how can they allow you to be killed? Then the Kazakhs are worth nothing. We stood up for you, defended you from the Kalmak. We expelled him from the village so that he would not dare to return here again.
Asmonko's speech was interrupted by Kozubai:
– Esteemed Asmonko, there is no need to twist the truth; speak as it is. Hero Kokcho, you probably did not understand in your drunkenness; Asmonko is talking complete nonsense. How can hero Almanbet take your wife? Has he gone mad? How can he covet another man's wife? Although Almanbet is not here, I will say honestly, he did none of this. When you told him to take any horse, to dress in any clothes, and to get lost, Almanbet was filled with tears; he could not leave you; he could not part with you; he only lightly patted the horse's neck, kept looking back, and with difficulty rode away from the village, poor fellow. Even when he was leaving, they did not leave him in peace but threw swords and daggers at him.
After Kozubai's words, Kokcho began to remember everything; he recalled something and burst into tears:
– I broke my staff, I broke my legs, the hooves of my horse are chipped, the blades of my sword are dulled. I have done a lot here, thrown the ends into the water, and now Asmonko stands here like an innocent man.
Deceived Kokcho, almost killing Asmonko, only beat him and quickly sent messengers to gather Alymseyit, Tynymseyit, and Shuutu. They arrived immediately.
– Have you seen many people like Almanbet come to me? I have long known that you would do something like this. As soon as I turned around, as soon as I became known to the whole world, you broke my back, dogs! They say, "Whoever spares the horse will be left alone," and here I am left all alone. Let him go to hell; bring him the horse Kogal, which he asked for, and quickly. And find me Almanbet. Gift the famous steed Kogal to Almanbet.
Learning that Kokcho had roused everyone and demanded to find Almanbet, sixty messengers gathered from all the villages and came to him. They did not heed the threats of the judges they encountered on their way. All the while thinking of Almanbet, Kokcho did not even glance at Buuidaibek, who was offering him vodka. He treated all the judges who had arranged this conspiracy with contempt, chose the best steed for himself, and galloped off in search of his friend. He took the horse Kogal, which he valued most, with him.
On the road leading to Sary-Arka, they rode for a long time but could not see the hero. When they were very tired, when they could no longer ride, the one accompanying Kozubai said:
– It has been two days since hero Almanbet left; no one has tried to catch up with him; everyone has abandoned him to his fate; he has probably waited a long time but then got tired and went wherever his eyes looked.
After these words, Kokcho, who had lost his falcon, sighed to himself, waved his hand, blaming the worthless judges for everything, hung his head in sorrow and grief, could not set off on his way for a long time, but finally had to return home.
Meanwhile, all alone, Almanbet was grieving:
– I have long said goodbye to my people, and why did I join Kokcho's people? Can there be wind without clouds? Can there be a stream without rain? If I am destined to wander the world, then why stay among the Kazakhs? I do not know where to hide; I do not know where to settle. Bless me, Lord, and grant me luck in the future!
Starving, having been on the road for two days without taking a drop of water or a crumb of food, he looked hopefully into the distance, and finally, sadness overcame him; he realized that he was needed by no one, spurred his famous horse, and set off on his way – wherever his eyes looked.
The Tale of Manas. Almanbet Comes to Kokcho. Part 1